Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for COAG) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy (Senator Conroy) to a question without notice asked by Senator Payne today relating to western Sydney and the Prime Minister.

It seems to me that small things apparently can amuse small minds, judging by the reaction of those opposite to the question I asked at the start of question time today. But they are not small things to the people at the Penrith Whitewater Stadium in the electorate of Lindsay. The fact that they are prepared to go on the record in their annual report, tabled in Penrith council in the second week of February, and say that they have seen a 15 per cent rise in their energy costs as a result of the carbon tax, as reported in the Penrith Press on 15 February and in the Western Weekender on 14 February, shows this is very serious for them. This is an international world-class facility that now finds itself in a position where it will probably have to buy a diesel generator to operate during parts of the day because of these increased costs and other increased costs for electricity as well.

It is the facility that produced Olympic silver medallist Jessica Fox. It is not a laughing matter. The fact that those opposite and other members of this government continue to treat the people of Western Sydney, the people who are actually in their forgotten heartland, with contempt is the problem that this government has.

The headlines in relation to the Prime Minister's upcoming sojourn in Western Sydney are even more fascinating. We have: 'Oh west, where goes thy vote?' 'The west puts up a Do Not Disturb Sign to Prime Minister Julia Gillard'. And in an alliterative effort by the Australian Financial Review: 'Gillard's futile foray out west'. These are the sorts of observations which even the Canberra press gallery are making, and heaven only knows what the local Western Sydney papers will make of it, too. But my personal favourite is the small cartoon on the front page of today’s Australian. It is not quite clear enough for me to see who drew it, but it has a very helpful gentleman at the front desk of the Rooty Hill RSL Novotel saying, 'Can we help you with your baggage?' And around her are polls, boats, mining tax, ICAC, Kevin, more polls, the surplus or not, more polls, and the Prime Minister saying in response, 'That's the general idea.'

The people of Western Sydney will not be helping the Prime Minister with her baggage. A one-week visit is much like one swallow in a summer; it does not make a commitment to Western Sydney. Perhaps a little doorknocking would not go astray while she is there. Perhaps our candidate in Chifley, Isabelle White, could take some of her energy and enthusiasm to the streets with the Prime Minister, and she could meet some of the real people of Rooty Hill.

While I am on the question of the Rooty Hill RSL, it would seem to me that the Prime Minister is really not helped by her colleagues—colleagues like Minister Mark Butler, who thinks it is a joke to talk about one of the largest facilities in Western Sydney, like the Rooty Hill RSL, in the way that he did on Adelaide radio today. I will tell you where the joke lies, Mr Deputy President: it lies with Minister Butler. The Rooty Hill RSL does things like those outlined in the St Mary's Vietnam Veterans' Outpost website and newsletter—and I want to quote it. It was in 2010 but it is a pretty good quote:

We recently received our CDSE grant from Rooty Hill RSL Club which could not have come at a better time as we also received acknowledgement from DVA regarding our BEST Funding. Unfortunately with the Government in “Claw Back Mode” to pay for the insulation and schools improvement program our Grant has been slashed by several thousand dollars …

The activities of this extremely worthy organisation, the St Mary's Vietnam Veterans' Outpost, is supported by the Rooty Hill RSL, about which Minister Mark Butler thinks it is appropriate to say it is 'a bit too "Benny Hill" '. Was that a play on words as well? Was that a play on Sydney's history and the naming of Rooty Hill by Governor Sir Philip Gidley King, who named it after a place on Norfolk Island, where he had also lived? Or is that a joke as well? The people of Western Sydney are strong and proud. It is where I work and it is where I live. They are people who are sick and tired of this government, of their increased living costs, of their broken promises and of the lack of attention to the infrastructure that they need to go about their daily lives and not unreasonably to live and work and play where they live. The Rooty Hill RSL answers those questions. (Time expired)

Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is actually quite refreshing and quite a change to hear Senator Payne stand up in here and talk about Western Sydney. This morning we had a South Australian senator, Senator Birmingham, being sent out to run the lines for the coalition. I do not know why Senator Payne was not sent out, but Senator Birmingham was sent out to run the lines for the coalition on Western Sydney. Like Senator Payne, I am also a resident of Western Sydney. I have lived in St Clair, I have lived in St Marys and I have lived in Penrith. So I know Western Sydney well.

I certainly know that the issues that are a problem in Western Sydney are issues that are being assessed and dealt with by this government. They are the issues of transport: the issues of almost 200,000 people in Western Sydney having to exit Western Sydney every day and come back into Western Sydney at night. That is a huge problem. It is the neglect of 11½ years of the Howard government to put infrastructure into Western Sydney. Look at the last election platform of the coalition. What was the election platform for Western Sydney in terms of infrastructure? Zero. Nothing. They did nothing. They were promising nothing in Western Sydney, and so they have got a lot to answer for after 11½ years, when they were profligate.

When the money was flowing into the government, what did they do in Western Sydney? They did nothing in health. They did nothing in education. I have been to Western Sydney schools where the toilets look as if they were built in the 1800s, and that was after 11½ years of the coalition government. I have to say, in terms of transport, what have they done over 11½ years? Nothing. Who has invested in health in Western Sydney? It is the Labor government that has invested in health. If you go to every major hospital you can see the building work that is being done. There is the building work in health and the building work in education.

We are rebuilding the infrastructure in many of our schools by putting in school halls that would never have been built under a coalition government and putting in science labs and language labs that were never thought about under a coalition government.

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

So I object. I will not accept a lecture from Senator Payne or Senator Fierravanti-Wells about Western Sydney, because the major neglect in Western Sydney came from a federal government, the Howard-Costello government, who did not care about Western Sydney and who did not invest in the future of Western Sydney. Do not come here and lecture me after the federal government has invested millions upon millions of dollars in Western Sydney in health, education, roads and infrastructure.

Where has the investment come from? It has come from Labor. It did not come from the coalition. The coalition's record in Western Sydney is an absolute disgrace, and the public will soon realise it when this approach by the coalition of having a balanced budget at all costs will cost jobs in Western Sydney, it will cost investment in Western Sydney, it will make life harder for people in Western Sydney.

When I go out to Western Sydney—I do not know where Senator Payne goes—I do go to the clubs. I am a member of St Mary's RSL, I do go there; I am a member of Penrith Panthers, I do go there. When people talk to me about issues, they talk to me about jobs, they talk to me about a future for their kids, they talk to me about investment in education and they talk to me about an investment in health. These are the key issues. What do you hear from Senator Payne? Normally nothing. You normally hear nothing from her. You even have to send a South Australian senator out to the doors to run the coalition lines on Western Sydney. If you cannot do it, Senator, that is okay. You should just admit it. But do not send a South Australian senator out to do your job in Western Sydney. (Time expired)

Concetta Fierravanti-Wells (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Ageing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Clearly, Senator Cameron did not understand that the reason why the Investing in Our Schools Program was so successful was that we had to provide funding for toilets in New South Wales schools, because the New South Wales government had its eye on other matters, such as corruption and waste and mismanagement, and they did not provide the toilets that they should have been providing, Senator Cameron.

Can I move to issues pertaining to Western Sydney? I have to say that I, like Senator Payne, do spend considerable time in Western Sydney. Indeed, I was out in Chifley only last month. Perhaps the Prime Minister needs a map to find her way out to Western Sydney? I am happy to provide her with directions from Kirribilli House out to the Rooty Hill RSL—it is about 50 kilometres. It is little wonder that she has now decided to stay at the Novotel at Rooty Hill. Because of the traffic congestion it takes long amounts of time to travel in Western Sydney, and, as Senator Payne has correctly said, this is the reason why the Liberal Party is committing $1.5 billion to the West Connect project.

Today's press is, of course, very telling as to why Ms Gillard has suddenly worked out: 'Oh dear, I'd better go out to Western Sydney. I'd better go out. Not because I really want to go out there, but because the polls are so bad, and I have to worry about my own survival'. It is all this woman ever worries about—her own survival.

When she eventually does find her way out to Western Sydney, and she goes to visit the Rooty Hill RSL, perhaps she might like to have lunch there. Perhaps she might like to talk to some of the people there. I have talked to them: they have complained about the high cost of electricity because of the carbon tax, or the blow-out in the budget of the boats coming out to Australia. Many of those people out in Western Sydney came to Australia through the front door and they are not very happy about the government's lack of a proper immigration process. They also complain about the cost-of-living pressures that are hitting the families out in Western Sydney.

Perhaps after she has had lunch at the Rooty Hill RSL, she might like to walk around the corner and perhaps go and visit the aged-care facility that I visited. And instead of Minister Butler making jokes about Rooty Hill, he ought to be worried about the chaos that he has perpetrated in the aged-care system by taking $1.6 billion out of aged care. Small aged-care facilities are saying to me, 'We are not able to make ends meet and we are having difficulty with grave financial circumstances'. So, Minister Butler, instead of making jokes about Western Sydney, why don't you go and worry about the aged-care facilities that are really doing it tough and that might shut down as a consequence of your mismanagement of your own portfolio, and do not worry about other matters in Western Sydney.

Minister Conroy, in his answer to me, did not answer my question.

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for COAG) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

His non-answer!

Concetta Fierravanti-Wells (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Ageing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

His non-answer about taking cuts. While the Prime Minister is at the Rooty Hill Novotel, perhaps she might like to walk down the road 500 metres or thereabouts, and go to the Mt Druitt Hospital. Why does she not go and ask the doctors and nurses at the Mt Druitt Hospital about the impacts that the recent retrospective cuts are going to have on the health budget in New South Wales? While she is at it, perhaps she might go out to the Auburn Hospital, the Blacktown public hospital, the Campbelltown hospital, the Dundas public hospital, the Liverpool Hospital, the Nepean Hospital and Westmead Hospital, and ask them what the impact of the latest debacle in health is, and hear directly from them about what the impact is going to be on the health services out in Western Sydney. And so, as the papers are correctly saying: too little, too late; this is a stunt all about her survival. (Time expired)

Carol Brown (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr Deputy President.

Senator Payne interjecting—

Concetta Fierravanti-Wells (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Ageing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Do you know where Western Sydney is?

Carol Brown (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I can assure the good senators on the opposite side that I have concern for Australians across the board, and I do know where Western Sydney is, Senator Fierravanti-Wells.

What I find extraordinary is that the opposition is so het up about members of the ministry going out and talking to people in Western Sydney. It is like they do not think that people in Western Sydney deserve to have this sort of access. This is what they are saying. So you have got Senator Fierravanti-Wells—

Concetta Fierravanti-Wells (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Ageing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Der! You've just worked this out now?

Alan Ferguson (SA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order, on my left!

Carol Brown (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I do not think you should be able to say 'der'. Senator Fierravanti-Wells has just cottoned on to the fact that the Prime Minister and the cabinet have conducted community cabinet meetings all over the country for years—for years. You have just worked out that they are doing this! Now you come in here with this extraordinary level of outrage because the Prime Minister is going out and talking to people who live and work in Western Sydney. Those opposite do this because they are preoccupied with negativity, and they are so caught up in the mud-slinging that they try to score cheap political points. I often listen to what Senator Payne has to say, but unfortunately she has been caught up here today—in her questions and in taking note of answers—in an extreme level of negativity. For those opposite to focus on the Prime Minister's visit in this negative way truly exposes the policy vacuum they have over there.

The Prime Minister visiting a range of electorates, as I have said, is nothing new. To speak to local people about issues is completely normal, and that is what you would expect—and that is what the government has been doing for years. Whilst visiting Western Sydney, I am sure the Prime Minister will have an opportunity to speak about many of the Labor government's policy initiatives that will benefit the people of Western Sydney. So we will not be distracted by the policy void that we find on the other side of the chamber today in the taking note of answers debate. In fact, Senator Fierravanti-Wells talked about—

Concetta Fierravanti-Wells (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Ageing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Why don't you learn how to pronounce my name properly?

Alan Ferguson (SA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Order!

Carol Brown (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator, you seriously need to have a good look at yourself and at your interjections. You are really getting childish—very childish.

What the senator on the opposite side does not want people to know about are the Gillard government achievements. She talked about the Prime Minister in quite a personal way, which is not unusual for Senator Fierravanti-Wells. The Prime Minister has done many good things for this country. She has been getting on with the job. She is keeping our economy strong, spreading jobs, opportunity and fairness, and helping families with modern-day pressures. The Prime Minister has provided unprecedented support for families. We have the schoolkids bonus, new payments for families and teenagers, more family tax benefits, record support for child care and help with costs like taking the kids to the dentist. What we see here today are two New South Wales senators who say that Western Sydney families and people who live in Western Sydney do not deserve a visit from the Prime Minister. It is outrageous—outrageous—and you stand condemned. (Time expired)

Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I must confess that, following the contributions of my distinguished colleagues from New South Wales Senator Payne and Senator Fierravanti-Wells, as a Victorian senator I almost feel I am standing here under false pretences—but not entirely so. I did spend most of my schooling and university, and had my first job, in Sydney. I grew up in the Hills district of Sydney, which is not the western suburbs—but, for those on the North Shore line, anyone from west of Wahroonga was called a 'westie'. So I am happy to stand here as an honorary westie!

I have to say I feel for the people of Western Sydney. They are suffering under cost-of-living pressures, they are suffering as a result of chronic neglect by state and federal Labor governments in terms of infrastructure. As if that were not bad enough—and I do not know what they have done to deserve this—the New South Wales ALP head office in Sussex Street have announced that they are going to relocate to Parramatta. In a brilliant electoral strategy by the New South Wales Labor Party, they are bringing to Parramatta, to Western Sydney, the outfit that brought you Eddie Obeid, Ian Macdonald, and the revolving door of leadership in that state! What have the people of New South Wales done to deserve that? I do not know.

Advancing that move by the Sussex Street head office is the Prime Minister herself. I do not know what the people of Western Sydney have done to deserve what I guess we must call 'a prime ministerial progress' through Western Sydney. It brings back the idea of the Elizabethan progress of Elizabeth I, where she deigned to leave London and go out into the extremities of the nation. I am not sure if it is an Elizabethan progress or if it has a little more to do with that TV series Entourage. According to the Rooty Hill RSL general manager, the Prime Minister will have an entourage of more than 10 people when she checks in for her minicampaign. It is a peculiar thing.

I notice Senator Faulkner has arrived in the chamber. So far, Senator Faulkner has shown the good judgement and common sense not to rise in this place to defend the progress of the Prime Minister through Western Sydney; nor for that matter has Senator Stephens—both two of the more highly regarded senators in this place. But I hope Senator Faulkner is not about to disappoint me.

Senator Payne touched on a contribution from Mr Mark Butler. He was asked by Matt Abraham on Adelaide radio:

The Rooty Hill experiment, Mark Butler, not to put too fine a point on it. Is it a sign of a party that thinks it's rooted?

That last word was his, not mine. Mr Butler replied:

There are so many different sort of double entendres you can do with this place. I stay at the Penrith Panthers when I'm in western Sydney because I'm not sure I could check into the Rooty Hill RSL with a straight face. It just conjures up all these sort of Carry On films and Benny Hill episodes and Carry On Governing filmed at the Rooty Hill RSL.

The government itself cannot take this particular exercise seriously. It has become a matter of high farce.

But, what will not be a matter of high farce is when the Prime Minister meets the people of Western Sydney. It will not be pleasant, because on 12 August 2010—the last campaign—the Prime Minister, at the Rooty Hill RSL, told the people of Western Sydney at that gathering that she stood for cutting company tax, that taxpayers would get an automatic tax deduction of $500 rising to $1,000, that she would involve the community to get a consensus on climate change, that Australia's net debt would not exceed six per cent of GDP and that she would bring the budget back into surplus in 2013.

Given the Prime Minister has broken each and every one of those promises, all I can assume is that she is going to Western Sydney to say to the people of Western Sydney, 'I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I was wrong. I misled you. I broke every commitment I made to you and now I throw myself upon your mercy'.

But one thing we on this side of the chamber know for sure is that in Western Sydney, for the Prime Minister, there will be no mercy.(Time expired)

Question agreed to.